Pradaxa Manufacturers Settle Lawsuits for $650 Million

The German drug manufacturer Boehringer Ingleheim said on Wednesday, May 28th, that they would settle a number of US-based personal injury lawsuits related to the use of their blood thinner, Pradaxa, for $650 million.

Pradaxa reportedly caused severe and fatal bleeding in several patients who had been prescribed the medication, although the drug was deemed as safer than warfarin. Scientific studies have linked Pradaxa use to a high risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

The pharmaceutical company said that the settlement amount would cover about 4,000 personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits that the company faces in the United States. Plaintiffs accuse the company of failing to warn about the dangerous side effects of using Pradaxa.

As part of the settlement agreement, however, Boehringer denies liability.

“BI stands resolutely behind Pradaxa and believed from the outset that the plaintiffs’ claims lacked merit,” said Desiree Ralls-Morrison, senior vice president and general counsel, Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corp.

“This settlement allows BI to avoid the distraction and uncertainty of lengthy litigation and focus on our mission of improving patients’ lives,” Desiree Ralls-Morrison, general counsel for Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corp., said in the statement.

“I think it’s a good settlement for a lot of people that need help,” a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Mikal Watts, said. “I congratulate the company on doing the right thing.”

FDA Study Links Gastrointestinal Bleeding to Pradaxa

The FDA looked at 134,000 Medicare patients, aged 65 years old and older, and found that, among those recently prescribed a blood thinner, Pradaxa put the patients at a lower risk of clot-related strokes, bleeding in the brain, and death, compared to Warfarin. However, Pradaxa patients had a higher incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding than those on warfarin.

The FDA said the new study was “based on a much larger and older patient population than those used in FDA’s earlier review of post-market data, and employed a more sophisticated analytical method to capture and analyze the events of concern.” The administration added that they would continue “to investigate the reasons for differences in major GI bleeding rates for Pradaxa and warfarin observed.”

Pradaxa was developed to replace decades-old blood thinner warfarin, specifically to prevent strokes in patients suffering atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that is common in the elderly. Like other blood thinners, according to Boehringer, Pradaxa comes with a risk of potential internal bleeding. The company cited a recent study done by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that Pradaxa had a lower risk of severe bleeding than other blood thinners, warfarin in particular.

The FDA stated in 2012 that Pradaxa had been linked to around 1,000 deaths.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Injury Cases Involving Pradaxa

If you or a loved one have been prescribed Pradaxa and have suffered any of these complications:

Fatigue,

Unusual bleeding & hemorrhaging,

Pink or brown urine,

Red or black stools,

Coughing blood,

Vomiting that resembles blood or looks like coffee grounds,

Bleeding from the gums,

Regular nosebleeds,

Joint pain & swelling,

Headaches,

Dizziness,

Weakness and swelling of the joints,

Intestinal bleeding, and even

Death.

You may have a personal injury or wrongful death case against Pradaxa’s manufacturers.

The pharmaceutical liability lawyers at The Strom Law Firm, LLC are at the forefront of the fight to protect the public and will stand up for your rights against the big drug and insurance companies. We will fight to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the justice you deserve. Contact our defective drug and wrongful death attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case as well as your legal rights.803.252.4800

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